Players
by Danja
Summary: Something has come over the New Gotham High football team.
1. Chapter One

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Players

Chapter One

Disclaimer: Birds of Prey, its characters, and concepts are the property of Warner Brothers, Tollin-Robbins Productions & DC Comics.

* * *

From the _New Gotham Gazette (September 8th):_

_****_

Fight Erupts Inside Teen Club

Gazette Wires

_NEW GOTHAM CITY -- A fight broke out at the Fusion teen club early Saturday morning. Five people -- two fifteen-year-olds, a sixteen-year-old, and two seventeen-year-olds -- were arrested in the incident at the club, which is located at 1219 E. 32nd St. Two of the persons arrested are members of the New Gotham High football team. Police would not release the identities of the suspects on account of their being juveniles. Police would not comment on what started the fight, citing the ongoing investigation._

* * *

From the _New Gotham Gazette (September 15th):_

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New Gotham High Football Player Arrested For Battery

__

Gazette Wires

_NEW GOTHAM CITY -- Police arrested eighteen-year-old Adam Thornton for allegedly beating up his girlfriend, a sixteen-year-old whom police declined to identify publicly, citing the ongoing investigation. Police were called to the scene at approximately 8:30 Friday evening by neighbors who had witnessed a domestic dispute between the couple. Police would neither give details of the incident nor comment on what triggered it, citing the ongoing investigation._

_Adam is a senior at new Gotham High School and a wide receiver on the football team._

* * *

It was 3:00 p.m. Dinah and Curtis Williams -- a stocky junior with close-cropped red hair -- were sitting at a table in a study area in the New Gotham High School library, poring over Sophocles's _Antigone _for English. Curtis -- a lineman on the football team -- was wearing his letter jacket. He wrapped his arm around Dinah's shoulders.

"Now, here -- Antigone is making a reference to … what _ARE _you doing?" Dinah interjected as she removed Curtis's hand from her shoulder.

"Just havin' a little fun," Curtis drawled.

"You asked me to help you with your English homework," said Dinah firmly. "If you're gonna screw around, I'm gonna leave."

"C'mon … just one little kiss."

"That's it … I'm leaving," said Dinah as she got up to leave. As she arose, Curtis spun her around to face him … and then slapped her face.

Dinah stared dumbstruck at Curtis. "What was _THAT_ for?"

"_GIMME WHAT I WANT!_" Curtis shouted at the top of his lungs.

"What're you doing? This is a…" Before Dinah could get the word out, Curtis -- seized by an irrational primal fury -- lunged at her and punched her in the stomach. Over and over again, he pounded her -- his meaty paws striking Dinah's frail frame like twin jackhammers. After what seemed like an eternity, he delivered the _coup de grace_ -- a right hook and an uppercut that sent Dinah to the floor, unconscious.

Curtis stared at the fallen Dinah for a moment. He then stared in disbelief at his hands. _Did_ I _do_ THAT? He wondered. _WHY? _Stunned, he then picked up his books and papers from the table and ran out of the room.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Dinah lay unconscious in her bed at Gotham Memorial Hospital with a black eye, a swollen lip, an IV sticking out of her wrist, and a heart monitor beeping next to her.

"Dinah … Dinah." Barbara softly called Dinah's name as she patted her cheek in an attempt to rouse her.

Dinah stirred, moaned, opened her eyes, and looked around the room. "Where am I? What time is it?"

Barbara looked at her watch. "It's 6:47 p.m. You're at Gotham Memorial Hospital."

"Hospital?"

"A library assistant heard the commotion coming from the study area," said Barbara. "She found you lying unconscious on the floor."

Dinah gasped. "Oh, my God…"

"It's all right," said Barbara. "I'm glad you're not seriously injured." Barbara paused. "What happened back there?"

"Curtis Williams … he grabbed me … grabbed my shoulder. Kept trying to kiss me. I pushed him away … and he just went crazy," said Dinah. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No … no, you didn't do anything wrong," said Barbara. "He was way outta line." Barbara paused. "Doctor said you came in with a black eye, bloody nose, and severe abdominal bruising. Since you sustained a blow to the head, he wants to keep you here overnight for observation."

"Does … Helena … know about this?"

"I told her what happened."

Dinah blanched. _If Huntress ever got her hands on Curtis … _"Oh, my God…"

"No harm will come to Curtis," said Barbara, as if reading Dinah's thoughts. "I explicitly told her to back off." Barbara paused. "The school security system caught the fight on tape. There should be more than enough evidence for the DA to prosecute ... I'm looking at maybe possible aggravated battery." Barbara paused again. "This appears to be a trend."

"What do you mean?"

"The fight at Fusion … the Adam Thornton case…"

"Oh, yeah … I heard about that one," said Dinah. "The whole school's been talking about it."

"Now this," said Barbara. "Three separate incidents of random violence, each involving football players." Barbara paused. "I wonder if there's a connection."


	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

* * *

From the _New Gotham Gazette (October 4th):_

_****_

New Gotham High Football Player Collapses During Practice, Dies In Hospital

Gazette Wires

_NEW GOTHAM CITY -- Thomas Chambliss, 17, died at 5:34 p.m. yesterday afternoon at St. Vincent's Hospital. A lineman on the New Gotham High School football team, he was rushed to the hospital after collapsing during football practice at the school earlier that afternoon. Doctors later ruled the cause of death to be a combination of heatstroke-induced heart failure and acute dehydration._

_Principal Donald Martin issued the following statement late yesterday afternoon: "The faculty, students, and staff all wish to extend their condolences and prayers to the Chambliss family during this time of sorrow. Tom Chambliss's death was truly a tragic, unfortunate accident. All of us here at New Gotham High School are mourning the loss of one of our own."_

_The Chambliss family had no comment as of yesterday afternoon._

* * *

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Encrypted Journal Entry -- Barbara Gordon

October 4th

Three separate incidents of random violence -- all involving football players. Now, a player has died on the field.

Accident? After all that has happened recently, I'm not so sure.

In my opinion, this "accident" merits further investigation.


	4. Chapter Four

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Chapter Four

* * *

The New Gotham High football team was holding its regular Tuesday afternoon practice inside the football stadium.

Barbara took up a discreet position next to the bleachers and studied the team's bench through a pair of miniature binoculars. She then produced a small notepad and pen from her jacket and jotted down some notes: _No water bottles … no misting equipment … no hydrating apparatus of any sort. _She heard the coach blow his whistle and yell, "_C'MON, LAZENBY … PICK UP THE PACE! YOU THROW LIKE A GIRL!_"

Barbara smiled and thought, _Obviously someone who's never met The Huntress._ Her smile vanished as quickly as it appeared. She then closed her eyes and shook her head in bemusement. _Talk about your prescription for heatstroke._

* * *

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Encrypted Journal Entry -- Barbara Gordon

October 12th

I've asked Dinah to look through the microfilm archives of The New Gotham Gazette at the library and count up the number of injuries the New Gotham High football team inflicted upon its opponents last season. As I expected, there's been a spike in the number of injuries inflicted upon the opposing team … and the season has only just begun.

The same hyper-aggressive behavior that was being exhibited at Fusion and by Adam Thornton and Curtis Williams is now manifesting itself on the playing field. Thus far this season, New Gotham High has inflicted three cracked ribs and a broken ankle on Brooklyn Southeast, a broken leg and a fractured collarbone on Bronx Technical, and another broken ankle on Staten Island High.

If memory serves me, the Athletic Booster Club is responsible for providing the sports teams with bottled water and various other sundries for the team -- at the very least, they did it last season. It's as good a place as any to begin the next phase of this investigation.


	5. Chapter Five

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Chapter Five

* * *

"Is Beverly Lazenby there?" Back at the Clocktower, Barbara was on the phone with the President of the New Gotham High Athletic Booster Club.

"This is she."

"Hi, this is Barbara Gordon. I teach English here at New Gotham High."

"Oh, hi! I've heard all about you. You have a reputation for being one tough cookie."

Barbara blushed. "I read about the death of Tom Chambliss," she said as she composed herself. "I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to help."

"Not much, I'm afraid," said Beverly with a sigh. "The family has set up a charity memorial fund in lieu of flowers. I can tell you how to give to give to that."

"Thanks … I'd appreciate that," said Barbara. "Something I wanted to ask you … is there any water getting to the team _AT ALL_?"

"The coach won't allow it!" Beverly interjected. "Can you believe it?"

"Won't allow it? Why not?"

"He wants to 'toughen up' the team … and he thinks that giving them water on demand will make them 'soft'."

"So what you're telling me is … he won't allow water on the field at _all_?"

"He uses it as a reward for superior performance," said Beverly. "Or so my son has told me."

"Your son?"

"My son Michael is the quarterback for the team."

_Lazenby … he must've been the one the coach was yelling at during practice today. _"Tell me more."

"It's a vicious cycle … they only get water if they play well. And yet at the same time, they can't play well…'

"…Because they're dying of thirst on the field," said Barbara. "There's something I don't understand … the team's on a tear during games. Are they getting water then?"

"Oh, yes … district policy requires it," Beverly replied. "During games, the coach actually has the officials looking over his shoulder. He can't play the games with the water there like he can during practice."

"I see…"

"One question," asked Beverly. "Why are you asking about the water?"

"I'm concerned," Barbara replied. "I'd hate to see another …Tom Chambliss."

"Yeah … that makes two of us," said Beverly mournfully. "I'm seriously considering pulling Michael out of football." Beverly's voice choked with emotion. "I don't want to. He loves the game … he's played it ever since he was a freshman. At the same time, I don't want him ending up like … like Tom."

"I understand," said Barbara quietly. "Have you noticed anything else … _unusual?_"

Beverly paused in reflection for a moment. "Lately, I've been seeing blood stains on the inside of Michael's shoulder pads. For the life of me I don't know how they got there."

"Blood stains on the inside of his pads?"

"His shoulder pads are lined with white foam rubber padding. They're just covered in blood. Michael won't tell me how it got there." Beverly paused. "There are a _LOT _of things he won't tell me about his practices … it scares me."

"I can't blame you for being scared," said Barbara. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."

* * *

Barbara read the dossier she had compiled off her computer screen: "Thomas Allen Yakel … Age: fifty-nine … Current Occupation: Varsity football coach, New Gotham High School." Barbara paused. "Hmm … ex-Marine. Interesting."

Dinah and Huntress looked up at the overhead plasma screen. There appeared to the left of the dossier a full-face photo of Mr. Yakel. He had a gray crew cut, weathered face, granite jaw, and a pug nose. His piercing blue eyes bored out from the screen. He looked every bit the ex-Marine that he was.

"You think the coach's stinginess with the water is behind the death of Chambliss?" asked Huntress.

"It certainly appears that way, yes," Barbara replied. "However, the question of what's behind the team's hyper-aggressive behavior … both on- and off-the-field … remains unresolved." She tapped a key on her PC; a satellite photo of a farm comprised of several large buildings appeared on the overhead plasma screen. "I hacked the coach's PC at school. Yakel's got a thirty-acre farm on Long Island … seems he likes to hold secret practices there on Saturdays." Barbara turned around to face Dinah and Huntress. "Huntress, I want you to take a trip out there. I want to know what's in those buildings … and what, if anything, he's got going on in them." Barbara paused. "If anything funny's going on, odds are he'll be doing it out of sight."


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. I've had some RL issues recently (health problems, etc.)

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Chapter Six

* * *

Huntress leaped over the fence the wire mesh fence and threaded her way across the yard. The farmhouse -- a two-story clapboard house -- lay fifty yards to her left. A wooden barn lay twenty yards to her right.

"Ol' Man Yakel had a farm, Eee-Eye-Eee-Eye-Oh…" Huntress sang softly into the comm.

"Quiet," scolded Oracle in reply over the comm. "Someone'll hear you."

"It's two in the goddamn morning," Huntress shot back, her voice a stage whisper. "No one's gonna hear me."

"2:07."

"_WHAT_-ever." Huntress crept up to the barn door and stopped. Two large steel buildings -- a mammoth three-story building and a smaller one-story building -- lay just ahead of her.

"Your objective is directly ahead," said Oracle over the comm.

"Roger that," Huntress replied. "I see 'em." Huntress paused. "I'm gonna take the big one first." She crept up to the door of the three-story building, picked the lock, silently opened the door, crept inside, and just as silently closed the door behind her. She took a small penlight out of her coat pocket, found a light switch next to the door, and turned on the lights.

A large sheet of chicken wire hung from the walls and was stretched across the width of the building. The chicken wire was suspended about five feet above the ground.

"What's with the chicken wire?" Huntress wondered aloud.

"What chicken wire?" Oracle replied.

"Guy's got chicken wire hanging from the walls," Huntress replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's got it stretched across the room."

"How high is it off the ground?"

Huntress walked over to the wire. "I'd say not much more than five feet off the ground," she said.

"Mount the camera," said Oracle. "This looks interesting."

Huntress walked to over to a nearby wall and produced a small box from her coat pocket. She opened the box, took out a small ball of transparent wax, and mounted it on the wall. She then took out a miniature camera that was about the size of a pea. The camera had a small metal spike attached to the back; she mounted the camera by inserting the spike into the wax.

"This all right?" Huntress asked Oracle over the comm as she mounted the camera.

"Perfect," Oracle replied. "I want to know what he's doing with that chicken wire." Oracle paused. "Alright … extract and search the other building."


	7. Chapter Seven

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Chapter Seven

* * *

A few days had passed. Barbara, Helena, and Dinah were gathered in the Comm Center to watch the surveillance footage from Yakel's farm.

"All right … let's see what we've got," said Barbara as she made a few keystrokes on her PC. An image of the chicken wire room suddenly appeared on the overhead plasma screen. Barbara fast-forwarded through several hours (days, actually) of footage of an empty room. She stopped fast-forwarding when she noticed a group of young men -- some of whom were stripped to the waist, others wearing football jerseys -- gathering underneath the sheet of chicken wire.

What happened next was enough to shock even the hardened Barbara: the men began doing squats underneath the chicken wire! There was just enough give in the wire to allow the sea of mostly shaved and crew-cut heads to push the wire upwards a few inches -- and no further.

Acting on a hunch, Barbara ran facial recognition scans on several of the men in the video, cross-referencing them with the New Gotham High yearbook. The young men were identified as Michael Lazenby, Clayton McConnell, and Adam Bloomberg -- respectively quarterback, safety, and kicker for the New Gotham High School football team.

"He's got the football team doing calisthenics under there," Barbara said flatly as the video played on. Onscreen, the team ceased doing squats and began running in place, their 6-foot bodies hunched over from working under the 5-foot ceiling.

Blood began to run down the shoulders of several players as their bare skin rubbed against the chicken wire. _This would explain Lazenby's bloody shoulder pads_, Barbara thought. "Helena, how high was that chicken wire again?" she asked.

" Bout five feet," Helena replied.

_He's torturing those boys, _Barbara thought angrily. She then turned to Dinah and Helena and said, "I want Yakel brought here … to the Interrogation Room."


	8. Chapter Eight

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Chapter Eight

* * *

Thomas Yakel drove his mud-splattered white Ford Explorer down the deserted country road, leaving a cloud of dust behind him. It was 11:30 p.m. and he was returning home from a game.

As he pulled into his gravel driveway, he was utterly oblivious to the black Hummer with the dark tinted windows that was sitting across the street from his house. He pulled up next to his house, stopped, shut off the engine, and casually got out and walked towards the front door, shutting the door of the Explorer behind. As Yakel turned the key in the lock and opened the door, the last thing he remembered seeing was a small black-leather gloved hand shoving a handkerchief dipped in chloroform in his face …

After that, all went black.

* * *

When Yakel finally came to, he found himself sitting in a heavy wooden armchair that was bolted to the floor. His wrists and legs were bound to the chair by heavy leather straps. The room was dark, save for a single overhead light that burned directly above him. Yakel could barely make out the figures of Huntress and Dinah -- in a black knit balaclava -- standing on either side of the door directly ahead of him. A blinking red light revealed the presence of a surveillance camera hanging in a corner.

"Hello, Mr. Yakel," boomed a fruity, masculine, and digitally scrambled voice through the sound system.

"Who are you? What is this?" Yakel interjected.

"My name is not important," the voice replied. "But for our purposes, you may refer to me as The Oracle." Oracle paused. "I see you've already met my assistants."

"Where am I? Why…?"

"_SILENCE!_" boomed Oracle. "_I'LL_ ask the questions here." Oracle paused. "Let me get right to the point: Why have you been torturing the New Gotham High School football team?"

"What're you talkin' about?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" boomed Oracle in exasperation. "I know all about you, Mr. Yakel. I know where you live … I know about your past … and I know about the games you've been playing with the team's water."

"You're bluffing…"

Oracle sighed. "You're an ex-Marine. You live on a farm on Long Island. You've been divorced twice … need I go on?"

A bead of sweat began to run down the side of Yakel's head. _God, these guys are good, _he thought.

"I also know about the chicken wire room … and the secret practices," Oracle continued. "I doubt that the School Board will be pleased with your flagrant violations of district policy."

"What business is it of yours how I run my team?" Yakel snapped.

"When the body count begins rising, I _MAKE _it my business," Oracle replied. "Your cruel training methods have cost one player his life and driven four others to insanity."

"Insanity? How?"

"You've stoked their aggression to the point where they'll beat up anyone who crosses their path," Oracle replied. "On … and _OFF _… the field." Oracle paused. "Cruel training methods … plus emotionally immature adolescents … make for a toxic combination." Oracle paused. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Which was…?"

"Why?" Oracle asked. "Why have you been torturing these players?"

"You wanna know why? I'll tell you why," Yakel replied. "They were soft, that's why."

"And you thought torture would be an effective means of rectifying the situation," Oracle replied.

"You wanna know why I left The Corps?"

"Tell me … why _DID_ you leave the Corps?" Oracle replied dryly.

"I left when it began producing wimps!" Yakel snapped. "I'm tellin' ya, the day they let in women is the day The Corps began to get soft."

"Thank you, Mr. Yakel," Oracle replied dismissively. She then turned her attention to Huntress and Dinah. "Huntress, Dinah … leave him."

"_NO!_" Yakel screamed as Huntress opened the door and left the room, followed by Dinah. "Where are you going? Come back! _DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!_"


	9. Chapter Nine

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Chapter Nine

* * *

_Encrypted Journal Entry -- Barbara Gordon_

_November 2nd_

_Thomas Yakel has been suspended from his coaching position and is now in police custody facing manslaughter charges related to the death of Tom Chambliss (It seems that a certain … "anonymous tipster" … turned over an incriminating videotape of the team's workouts in the chicken wire room to the School Board). What's more, Chambliss's parents have filed a 30-million wrongful death suit against Yakel, the School Board, and Principal Martin._

_All in all, this has been a _VERY_ good day._

* * *

From the (New Gotham High School) _Eagle (November 8th):_

_****_

Wayne Foundation Donates Misting Equipment

Staff Writers

_In the aftermath of New Gotham High lineman Tom Chambliss's death due to heatstroke, The Wayne Foundation has generously donated 10,000 worth of misting equipment to the Athletic Department. Says interim football head coach Barry Mueller, "What with the misting equipment and everything that's happened lately, you'd think there was an angel watching over this team."_

THE END


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